WASHINGTON — The stomach-churning dread of a 3-1 playoff deficit is gone.

The black-and-gold-clad ghosts of playoffs past, which have haunted Caps fans for far too long, are sweating now.

Washington, you’ve got yourself a Game 7 — and it’s in the District.

The Capitals evened up their second-round Stanley Cup Playoffs series with the Pittsburgh Penguins at three games apiece Monday night at Pittsburgh’s PPG Paints arena.  The Caps cruised to a 5-2 victory, with goals from T.J. Oshie, Andre Burakovsky (two), Nicklas Backstrom and John Carlson.

Braden Hotby had 15 saves, despite a late Pittsburgh rally.

The series concludes Wednesday night on NBCSN.  If the Capitals win Game 7, they will face either the Ran- …

… actually, never mind.

Let’s not jinx this.

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